Machine for alcantara and other textiles, no leather.

[DvidSnchez]

Hello guys,

   I was wondering what industrial machine would be suitable for Alcantara car upholstery; I do not have enough to buy a $1500 machine now; would a Juki DDL-8700 work for now? I will not be doing leather work or anything thick in fabric so that any advice would be welcome. I mainly plan on working with Relicate's Textiles, again, not leather; about 80% will be only Alcantara.

[Wizcrafts]

5 hours ago, DvidSnchez said:

Hello guys,

   I was wondering what industrial machine would be suitable for Alcantara car upholstery; I do not have enough to buy a $1500 machine now; would a Juki DDL-8700 work for now? I will not be doing leather work or anything thick in fabric so that any advice would be welcome. I mainly plan on working with Relicate's Textiles, again, not leather; about 80% will be only Alcantara.

The Juki 8700 is a bottom feed only machine. You will have to either order one with the most aggressive teeth, or buy an aftermarket feed dog with aggressive teeth if you're to have any hope of the moving the material. Really, auto upholstery, like any other type of upholstery, calls for a walking foot machine, with at least dual feed. The Sailrite portables all have top and bottom feed. The Consew 206 series machines all have triple/compound feed, which is the strongest and keeps all layers aligned as the needle move with the feed dog and the inside foot.

You may be able to find a used Singer, Consew or Juki walking foot machine, complete with a table and motor, well within your stated budget.

[GerryR]

The Pfaff 1200 series (1221, 1222, etc.) are domestic machines but are very rugged machines, and some of them have an upper walking foot (I believe it is called the "Matchmaker Foot") that can be engaged or disengaged.  If you look on Youtube, there are videos of people using these machines for auto upholstery.  I have no experience with Alcantara car upholstery so don't know if these machines are suitable for it, but it may give you another option.  Brubaker's in Penn. (https://brubakerssewing.com/) would be someone to talk to as they are a Pfaff dealer.

[nejcek74]

I have a Pfaff 1222. It was my second machine and I fell into the "sturdy old machine" trap. It's a nice running machine with the IDT (Integrated Dual Feed) that excels with all kinds of slippery, soft, extra thin or soft and thick fabrics. But it doesn't work well with thick woven fabrics or leather, which are difficult to punch. I used it to make my first canvas bag. Poor machine, I still feel sorry for it. And it's an old domestic machine, it's slow. Maybe it could work for small pieces, anything else it's no fun.

Then I found an used industrial Pfaff 1245 for 400€. Similar numbers but a completely different machine.

 

[kgg]

13 hours ago, DvidSnchez said:

I was wondering what industrial machine would be suitable for Alcantara car upholstery; I do not have enough to buy a $1500 machine now; would a Juki DDL-8700 work for now?

For the reasons @Wizcrafts gave the simple answer is NO. I would suggest a walking foot machine like the Juki DU 1181N. A new complete setup, machine, servo motor and table is about $1400 USD used???? I use my Juki DU-1181N to cover off the thinner stuff the Juki DNU-1541S doesn't like.

[DvidSnchez]

Dang it, it seems I really have no choice but to actually get a machine in that price range, that if I don't want issues with the material, I'll start looking around for a consew or a good Juki machine, what you guys think about a Juki DDL-8700, 1-Needle Lockstitch Machine for Light & Medium Fabrics, does alcantara fit into medium fabrics? Or should I just take the loss and save for 3 months and buy a good industrial one.

[DvidSnchez]

I found a Juki DU-1181N, 1-needle, Top and Bottom-feed, Lockstitch Machine with Double-capacity Hook @kgg, I think I'm just gonna save to buy that one, it's &1,029.00